Class and operational changes for tonight and tomorrow
January 22, 2024 4:02 PM

Dear Faculty, Staff and Students,

With a wintery mix of sleet, freezing rain and ice accumulation expected to worsen tonight and continue into the early morning hours, we are recommending these changes in class schedules and activities for tonight and tomorrow morning. 

For Tonight (Monday):

• We recommend instructors move in-person classes and activities scheduled for this evening to a remote learning format if possible. 
• We recommend cancelling/rescheduling any non-academic activities tonight to minimize the number of people out in potentially dangerous conditions.
• All University Libraries will close at 5 p.m. tonight and will reopen at noon on Tuesday. 

For Tuesday:

• We recommend instructors move in-person classes to a remote-learning format until noon Tuesday if possible. 
• We recommend cancelling/rescheduling any other non-academic activities until after noon on Tuesday. 
• This delayed start will allow university and city crews sufficient time to clear streets, sidewalks and parking lots of any remaining ice from the overnight accumulation.

Instructors should inform their students of any change in class format for tonight or tomorrow as quickly as possible. Students should contact your instructors or your department if you are unsure of your class status tonight through noon tomorrow.

While university facilities are expected to maintain their regular operating hours tonight and tomorrow, that could change if conditions deteriorate. You should verify facilities are open as usual before you attempt to visit.

As a reminder, the residential and research aspects of our operations make closing impossible, so staff members are expected to fulfill their regular work responsibilities. Extreme weather does not change the need for an individual employee to notify their supervisor of the absence. Normal leave reporting processes and requirements apply to leave used to cover weather-related absences. For additional information, please refer to guidelines from Illinois Human Resources.  

Our Facilities & Services crews are working through the night to keep campus streets and walkways clear of ice, but whether on foot or driving, you should proceed with caution on and off campus until tomorrow’s rain and higher temperatures clear the ice. 

We encourage you to refer to current information from the National Weather Service website as you engage in your planned activities tonight and tomorrow. And students who need warm weather essentials can contact the Student Assistance Center for Basic Needs at (217) 333-0050 or basicneeds@illinois.edu.

We will continue to monitor the weather throughout the night, and we will be prepared to reevaluate our operational plans if conditions are significantly worse than predicted. Please check your university email for any updates.

Sincerely, 
 

Robert J. Jones
 Chancellor 

John Coleman
Provost